JP5934508B2 - LED lighting - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the field of LED lighting that can be used as lighting for automobiles, in particular as bending light.

  From DE 10 2004 055 882 A1, LED lighting in the form of bending lighting for automobiles is known, the bending lighting having several light emitting diodes (LEDs). Depending on the driving conditions, for example the steering angle of the steering wheel, the speed of the car or other conditions of the car, if the car driver wants to turn the curve, to illuminate the road curve One or more LEDs are switched on or off one by one. Each LED is connected by a wire to a central control unit having drive electronics for operating the LED for bending illumination, so that each LED can be turned on or off independently of the other LEDs.

  From US Pat. No. 6,239,716 B1, LED lighting for automobiles is known, in which a plurality of LEDs are connected in series. Each light emitting diode (LED) in this series is bridged by a switch, which provides a short circuit if the bridged LED fails, so the other LEDs continue to operate. The LED is operated by a central control unit.

  A disadvantage of these types of LED lighting is that a large assembly space is required. Furthermore, many wires are required to operate multiple LEDs, resulting in high manufacturing and assembly costs.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an LED lighting for an automobile that requires a small assembly space.

  The purpose is LED lighting for a motor vehicle, each LED region having several LED regions with at least one LED, a housing for supporting the LED region, and a drive for operating the LED region. LED lighting having a circuit board having electronic components, wherein the LED regions are connected in series by the driving electronic components, and the driving electronic components connect each LED region to the position of each LED region in the series Adapted to switch on and off depending on the signal, wherein the circuit board is a current source for applying a current to the LED region and is connected to a current source located outside the LED illumination It is possible and the circuit board is achieved by LED lighting incorporated in the housing.

  When the LED lighting is used as bending lighting, blinking indicator lighting, etc., the various LED areas must always be switched on and off one by one. The LED region may consist of a single LED or may have two or more LEDs. For this particular purpose control of the various LED areas, the insight is used that a significantly simplified circuit can be used so that a central control unit can be omitted. Since the complex and / or changing switching order of the LED area is not a concern, the circuit board required to supply the corresponding drive electronics can be very small, so that the assembly space is significant. Without increase, it can be incorporated into the housing of the LED lighting. In particular, many wires between the central control unit and the various LED areas and the central control unit itself are omitted, so the LED lighting requires a small assembly space. For distributed control, it is only necessary to use a current source and the signal, and no additional wires are required. The reduction in wiring reduces manufacturing and assembly costs. Since the current source that requires a relatively large assembly space as compared with the driving electronic component is disposed outside the LED illumination, the assembly space for the LED illumination is provided to the housing of the circuit board. Is not significantly affected by the integration of. An applied signal from the outside of the LED illumination, wherein the signal depends on, for example, the steering angle of the steering wheel or the amount of applied signal corresponding to the activation of the direction indicator, the LED region is in the driving state, for example the steering wheel Depending on the signal given by the steering angle or road curve, in turn, it is turned on or off. For example, the LED areas are sequentially turned on when the steering angle is increased and turned off when the steering angle is decreased. Depending on the amount of signal, more or less LED areas may be operated simultaneously, and the LED areas are switched on or off corresponding to their position in the series. Specifically, depending on the signal, it is possible to bridge the LED region and / or connect the LED region to ground, depending on the signal, without the need for complex wiring.

  In particular, a transistor is assigned to each LED area to switch the assigned LED area completely or partially on and off. The transistor can change its state depending on the signal by a simple integrated circuit.

  Preferably, each transistor is connected to the signal via a comparator, and each comparator is adapted to compare the signal to a different threshold, the amount of threshold being specified in the series Corresponds to the position of the LED region. The different thresholds can be applied to one of the corresponding comparator inputs by applying a constant voltage, such as 12V, through a certain number of resistors. Thereby, the number of resistors utilized corresponds to the position of the corresponding LED region in the series. Specifically, if a connecting line is routed to the input of the comparator after a particular resistor, several equal or different resistors are provided to supply the different threshold to the comparator. A single voltage line with a capacitor is sufficient. The other input of the comparator is connected to a signal line having the signal.

  In a preferred embodiment, each transistor has its assigned LED so that the assigned LED region is fully or partially bridged in order to switch off the assigned LED region completely or partially. Connected to the area. A particular LED region may be switched off by a short circuit that bypasses the LED region and / or a particular LED region bypasses a certain amount of applied current through the assigned transistor. By doing so, it may be partially switched on or off. Resistors that cause power loss are not required. Depending on the amount of the signal, a particular LED area can be switched on or off completely or partially.

  In another embodiment, each transistor is configured such that the input of the assigned LED area is fully or partially connected to ground in order to switch off the assigned LED area completely or partially. To the assigned LED area. The current for operating a particular LED region can be directed to ground in parallel with the LED region. Resistors that cause power loss are not required. Depending on the amount of the signal, a particular LED area can be switched on or off completely or partially.

  In particular, the drive electronics are adapted to convert the signal supplied to the drive electronics in the form of a PWM signal into a similar signal, in particular a ramp signal, by means of an integrating circuit. In automotive applications, it is sometimes easier to provide signals using pulse width modulation (PWM). With the integrator, a PWM signal with a high duty cycle can be converted into a high voltage signal, and a PWM signal with a low duty cycle can be converted into a low voltage signal. A ramp signal may be applied by the integrator. This is easier to handle with the simplified drive electronics.

  Preferably, the drive electronic component has a maximum of four connector wires to be connected to wires that communicate with the outside of the LED illumination. The four connector lines include one current line for connecting a current source to the LED region, one signal line having the signal, and 1 for supplying a constant voltage to the comparator. One voltage line and one collector line for closing the electrical circuit may be connected. For example, only four lines are sufficient to operate a car bending light. Since complex wiring is avoided, manufacturing and assembly costs are reduced.

  In a preferred embodiment, the housing comprises at least two parts, a support member for receiving the LED region, and a cover, wherein the circuit board is placed on the housing, in particular the cover and the support member. In between, it has a cover for embedding. The circuit board can be fixed in the housing, so that the circuit board is protected in a space efficient manner. Only the circuit board plug or socket is accessible from the outside of the housing. In addition, the cover can apply a holding force to the circuit board, providing good electrical contact between the circuit board and the LED area.

Specifically, the housing is a maximum area A perpendicular to the main illumination direction of the LED area, 6 cm ² ≦ A ≦ 30 cm ² , in particular 8 cm ² ≦ A ≦ 25 cm ² , preferably 9 cm ² ≦. It has a maximum area A with A ≦ 15 cm ² . An area of 5 × 5 cm ² or 4 × 4 cm ² or 3 × 3 cm ² is sufficient to receive a sufficient number of LED areas and the circuit board with the drive electronics. Specifically, the housing is 0.5 cm ≦ d ≦ 3.0 cm, preferably 0.8 cm ≦ d ≦ 2.0 cm, most preferably 1.0 cm ≦ d ≦ 1.5 cm, almost perpendicular to the region A. d.

  Preferably, the circuit board has the LED region. The LED area can be connected to the circuit board by a printing technique, whereby the LED area is fixed to the circuit board. Furthermore, the LED areas may be fixed in corresponding recesses and / or held by spring loaded holding arms or the like. Specifically, all the LED regions are connected to a common board fixed to the circuit board. Since the LED area can be pre-assembled on the circuit board, the LED and its driving electronics can be assembled by one common assembly unit.

  In a preferred embodiment, at least one LED region has two or more LEDs, and the LEDs are connected to each other in the same way as the LED region. The LEDs in a single LED area can be connected to each other as described above for the LED area. Specifically, the same type of wiring used for the various LED areas can be used for the LEDs in a single LED area. Therefore, the LED area itself may have a transistor, a comparator, etc. for switching the LED on and off. The intensity of each LED region can be adjusted at will, depending on, among other things, the signal applied to the LED region. This results in a higher resolution of the luminous intensity, depending on the signal. In particular, if a particular LED region is partially switched on or off to provide the desired light intensity, preferably each transistor in the LED region compares the signal to a different reference signal. Adapted to do. The amount of the reference signal corresponds to the position of a particular LED in series.

  Furthermore, the invention relates to bending lighting for a motor vehicle having LED lighting that can be designed as described above, wherein the signal corresponds to the driving state of the motor vehicle. Said driving state is given, inter alia, by the steering angle of the steering wheel, the activation of the direction indicator and / or the road curve. Since the complex and / or changing switching order of the LED area is not a concern, the circuit board required to supply the corresponding drive electronics can be very small, so that the assembly space is significant. Without increase, it can be incorporated into the housing of the LED lighting. In particular, many wires between the central control unit and the various LED areas and the central control unit itself are omitted, so the LED lighting requires a small assembly space. In order to control the bending illumination depending on the handle angle signal from the handle, a single signal line is sufficient except for the return line.

  Furthermore, the present invention comprises a bending illumination that can be designed as described above, a steering wheel and / or direction indicator activator, and a sensor for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel and / or activation of the direction indicator activator. The vehicle provides a signal dependent on driving conditions, in particular the steering angle and / or activation of the turn signal activator, the signal being supplied to the bending light and / or the turn signal It relates to an applied vehicle.

  Since the complex and / or changing switching order of the LED area is not a concern, the circuit board required to supply the corresponding drive electronics can be very small, so that the assembly space is significant. Without increase, it can be incorporated into the housing of the LED lighting. In particular, many wires between the central control unit and the various LED areas and the central control unit itself are omitted, so the LED lighting requires a small assembly space. In order to control the bending illumination depending on the handle angle of the handle, one signal line is sufficient except for the return line.

  These and other aspects of the invention are described and elucidated with reference to the following examples.

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of LED lighting according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of LED illumination according to another embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic perspective view of the bending illumination which has the LED illumination of FIG. 1 or FIG.

  1 has a circuit board 12, and in the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board 12 includes one light emitting diode (LED) L1, L2, L3. , Four LED regions 14 having L4 are fixed. The LED lighting 10 may include more or less LED areas 14. The LED region 14 may include more than one LED, and only one LED is shown for ease of understanding. A current source 16 is attached to the LEDs L1, L2, L3, and L4. The current source 16 is disposed outside the LED illumination 10 and is connected to the LEDs L1, L2, L3, and L4 via the current line 18. Since the current source 16 is not part of the LED illumination 10, the assembly space of the LED illumination 10 is relatively small. In order to close the electrical circuit, a collector line 20 having 0V is provided. The LED regions 14 are connected in series and are adapted to be switched on or off one by one according to their position in the series.

  In order to operate the LED region 14, for example, a signal in the form of a signal voltage between 0V and 12V is applied via the signal line 22. Each LED region 14 is connected to a signal voltage via comparators C1, C2, C3, C4, and in the comparators C1, C2, C3, C4, the signal voltage is a specific reference, eg, a predetermined threshold value. To be compared. The specific reference is supplied via the connector line 24 and via the + input, which is a voltage line 26 between the inlet of the voltage line 26 and the comparators C1, C2, C3, C4. It is connected to a voltage line 26 in which different numbers of resistors R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 are arranged in between. The voltage line applies a constant voltage of, for example, 12V, and thus a different voltage to be compared with the signal voltage is applied to each + input part of each comparator C1, C2, C3, C4. The reference for each comparator C1, C2, C3, C4 can be adjusted by the applied voltage on the voltage line 26 and / or by the amount of a particular resistor R1, R2, R3, R4, R5. The signal line 22 is connected to the negative input part of each comparator C1, C2, C3, C4. In the illustrated embodiment, signal line 22 is resistor free and does not include a resistor.

Each comparator C1, C2, C3, C4 is connected to a corresponding transistor T1, T2, T3, T4. Depending on whether the signal voltage on the signal line 22 is higher or lower than the reference of a particular comparator C1, C2, C3, C4, the output of the comparator C1, C2, C3, C4 changes and the corresponding transistor T1, T2, T3, T4 switch the LED area 14 on or off. Transistors T1, T2, T3, T4 may switch the corresponding LED region 14 off, thus connecting the input of the corresponding LED region 14 to ground. Transistors T1, T2, T3, T4 correspond to prevent the current in the current line 18 from flowing through the corresponding LEDs L1, L2, L3, L4 in order to switch on the corresponding LED region 14 The connection between the input of the LED area 14 and ground can be broken. For example, depending on the signal voltage between 0V and 12V, the following switching states of the LED region 14 may be provided.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the transistors T1, T2, T3, T4 of the LED lighting 10 may bridge the corresponding LED region 14 to switch off the corresponding LED region 14. A short circuit bypassing the corresponding LED region 14 can be provided by the corresponding transistors T1, T2, T3, T4. In order to switch on the corresponding LED region 14, the current of the current line 18 corresponds to the input part of the corresponding LED region so that the corresponding LED L1, L2, L3, L4 must flow. The connection between the LED region outputs can be broken by the corresponding transistors T1, T2, T3, T4. For example, depending on the signal voltage between 0V and 12V, the following switching states of the LED region 14 may be provided.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, for example, a signal voltage corresponding to the handle angle of the steering wheel of an automobile is applied as a PWM signal and converted into a ramp signal by a conversion circuit 28 having an integrator 30. In other examples, the illustrated conversion circuit 28 may be omitted and / or provided on the circuit board 12 of the LED lighting 10 illustrated in FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, bending illumination 32 may be provided having LED illumination 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 or FIG. The LED lighting 10 includes a housing 34, and the circuit board 12 including driving electronic components is incorporated in the housing 34. The housing 34 preferably consists of two parts for securing the circuit board 12 between the two parts of the housing 34. The housing 34 has an opening 36 for receiving the LED region 14. Each opening 36 and its corresponding LED area 14 is provided with a collimator 38 for supplying a defined light / dark cutoff. The bending illumination 32 has a curved semi-cylindrical lens 40 for guiding the light emitted by the LED region 14. A signal voltage corresponding to the handle angle of the handle can be applied to the LED illumination 10 of the bending illumination 32 to switch the LED regions 14 of the bending illumination 32 on or off one by one. A current source 16 for operating the LED region 14 may be located away from the LED illumination 10 and the bending illumination 32. For example, the LED lighting 10 and / or the bending lighting 32 may be arranged outside the body of the automobile, and the current source 16 may be arranged in the engine compartment of the automobile.

  While the invention is illustrated in the drawings and has been described in detail in the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative and exemplary and limited Should not be considered. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. For example, it is possible to operate the invention in an embodiment in which the signal voltage on the signal line 22 is reversed and / or the + and − inputs of the comparators C1, C2, C3, C4 are exchanged. is there. Those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention may understand and achieve other variations to the disclosed embodiments from a study of the drawings, the specification, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the singular form does not exclude the presence of a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims (9)

LED lighting for automobiles,
Several LED regions, each LED region having at least one LED;
A housing for supporting the LED region;
A LED board having drive electronics for operating the LED region and having a circuit board built into the housing,
The LED regions are arranged to coincide with the steering direction of the vehicle and are connected in series by the drive electronics;
The drive electronics is adapted to be connected to a current source for applying a current to the LED region;
The drive electronics is adapted to be connected to a signal corresponding to the steering state of the vehicle;
The signal is independent of the current source;
The drive electronics is adapted to switch one or more LED regions on and off depending on the signal;
A transistor for switching the assigned LED area completely or partially on and off is assigned to each LED area,
Each transistor is connected to the signal via a comparator, and each comparator is adapted to compare the signal to a different threshold value, the threshold value of the particular LED region in the series. Corresponding to the position,
LED lighting.   Each transistor is connected to its assigned LED region such that the assigned LED region is fully or partially bridged in order to switch the assigned LED region completely or partially off Item 2. The LED illumination according to item 1.   Each transistor has its assigned LED area such that the input of the assigned LED area is fully or partially connected to ground in order to switch off the assigned LED area completely or partially. The LED illumination according to claim 1 connected to the.   LED lighting according to claim 1, wherein the drive electronics is adapted to convert the signal supplied to the drive electronics in the form of a PWM signal into a lamp signal by an integration circuit.   The LED lighting according to claim 1, wherein the drive electronic circuit has a maximum of four connector wires to be connected to wires that communicate with the outside of the LED lighting.   The LED illumination according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least two parts and includes a support member for receiving the LED region and a cover for embedding the circuit board in the housing. ^2. The LED illumination according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a maximum region perpendicular to a main illumination direction of the LED region, and an area A of the maximum region is 6 cm ² ≦ A ≦ 30 cm ² .   The LED illumination according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board has the LED region.   The LED illumination according to claim 1, wherein at least one LED region has two or more LEDs, and the LEDs are connected to each other in the same manner as the LED region.

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